The Cold War: One in three couples argue over temperature of house

With temperatures falling and nights drawing in, central heating is getting switched on across the country for the first time in months, bring the ‘cold war’.

With the firing up of the nation’s boilers, come the annual arguments about how hot or cool our homes should be.

We recently revealed that one in three couples regularly argue over the temperature inside their homes – with most thinking it’s too warm indoors. Research by CORGI HomePlan, surveying 2,000 homeowners in September 2017. (click here for full data)

Rowing because the temperature is too high (31 per cent) edged out having a similar argument because it’s too cold (29 per cent) among those surveyed. Men are more likely to say the house is too hot, while more women feel their homes are too chilly.

The domestic strife doesn’t end there, however, with 27 per cent of those surveyed having a bust-up over how long the heating stays on for. The average in UK homes is between four and six hours a day (37 per cent), with a tropical five per cent leaving it on constantly.

The ‘ideal’ temperature in our homes is 20 degrees, this is favoured by more than one in four of those surveyed. However, the thermostat is the cause of much domestic bickering, with 31 per cent admitting they turn up the temperature set by their partner – a sneaky six per cent doing this via an app.

Many more women turn up the heating than men, with more than 40 per cent admitting to doing so. In contrast, almost three quarters of men (72 per cent) say they’d NEVER turn up a thermostat set by their other half.

With certain parts of the UK experiencing a miserable summer this year, the boilers were fired up earlier than usual, according to 37 per cent of those surveyed. A whopping 44 per cent of those in Northern Ireland had the heating on in August, a quarter of Scots likewise – compared to just four per cent of Londoners.

Soggy September has also seen lots of central heating coming on earlier than usual – with the Northern Irish (77 per cent) and Scots (68 per cent) again leading the way, well ahead of Londoners at 39 per cent. And this is another cause of a row, with one in three of those surveyed saying they’ve argued because the central heating has been switched on too early.

When asked what they steps they’d take rather than turn on the heating at home if they felt an autumn chill, 82 per cent of those surveyed said they’d put a jumper on, followed by 43 per cent who’d slip on extra thick socks.

The big central heating switch on signals the start of the colder months, and while there are many things to relish about the change in seasons, it’s also a time a lot of us dread. A massive 63 per cent of those surveyed said that dark mornings were top of their winter pet hates list, followed by dark nights (56 per cent), the cold (52 per cent) and the rain (40 per cent).

Peter Southcott, chief executive of CORGI HomePlan, says: “It’s a delicate domestic negotiation setting the perfect temperature for the home and any changes planned by one half or the other should be carried out with a ‘degree’ of caution.

“By ensuring that the household boiler is in full working order, these small changes – up or down depending on who’s in charge – should go through easily. Whether the thermostat is high or low, it’s vital to ensure all central heating is serviced before winter sets in.”

As featured in The Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4968424/Third-couples-arguing-thermostat.html

Saftey Tips

About CORGI HomePlan

Whether it’s your boiler, central heating, plumbing, drains or electrics, at CORGI HomePlan we’re here to help you avoid the unexpected costs of breakdowns with our HomePlan cover. When you’re insured with us, you can sleep at night knowing there’s someone there to help if anything goes wrong.

You can’t predict when emergencies will strike, and callouts can cost up to £200 if you’re not insured. There’s nothing more important than keeping you and your family safe and warm, so it makes sense to be covered.

CORGI HomePlan Ltd

CORGI HomePlan policies are underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance plc (No. 93792). Registered in England and Wales at St. Mark’s Court, Chart Way, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1XL. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. CORGI HomePlan Ltd is an appointed representative of Ambant Underwriting Services Limited (for general insurance intermediary business), a company which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 597301 to carry on insurance mediation activities. If you are unhappy with our service we have a complaints procedure, details of which are available on request by calling 0800 085 0845 and choosing Option 3 or click on the complaints procedure link: Contact Us. You may be able to refer a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) if you are unhappy with how we deal with your complaint. The FOS website is www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk. Please note that by using this website you agree to the use of cookies on your device.

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